AN EXPOSITION Of the Fidl: and Second Chapters ofthe EP·ISTLE T 0 THE EPHESIANS:~ A Premift concerning t/Jis Epiftle. ofCufl:om ufes to be prernifed by Interpreters, cor!cerntl1Q the Epifiles, or Books they Interpret, touch– ing the Argument, Divifion of the whole, and Occafion of the Writing, and about the Perfons wntten to. I !ball only fpeak oftwo ofthefe, as rnofr necelfary, I. The Excellency ofthis Epifl:Je, 2. The occalion ofPa111's writing of it. In the handling ofwhich two, I !ball yet wrap up all thofe other mentioned -briefly. 1 I. For the Excellency thereo£ It bath been efteemed among the choicefl:,ahd is accordingly placed in.the midfl: ofhis Epif\les; as the mofr fparkling Gem ufeth to be in a C.arkenet ofmany Jewels : or,as Hieront's Comparifon ofit is, Ji(!!omodo 1• Pr-for. Cor Animalis in medio eft; as the Heart in the midfr ofthe Body, fo he liken'd it, for the Difficulties he obferveth in it: But I rather, becaufe, as the Heart is the prime Seat, and Fountain ofSpirits, and the fullefr thereof; fo this Epifl:le contains more ofthe Spirits, the <l!!imelfence of the Myfl:erics of Chrifr, than any other; andismadeupofthernofrquickning Cordials to the fnward Man. l !hall !ay only, that I find our Apofrle himfelfboafling, as it were ofnone of his other Wtitings, but of this; and let his own Judgment cafl it, by what hlmfelf efleemed his Mafl:er-piecc. Thusexprefly in the third Chapter ofthis Epifl:le, at the third Verfe, he mentioning the Grace of God vouchfafed him, in that rich Treafury ofKno\yledg difpenfed to him, asa Steward for others, (as that Word ftgnifies) and that tranfcendent way he came by it, more' extraordinary thari othe( Apoll:les, (who yet were in part taught it by Chrifl: on Earth) Have y•tt 110t heard (fays he by the common Report wem ofit) hrw that by Revelation (namely Immediate) he made l{nown to me the Myflery? And thus f." indeed, I find him elfewhere fpeaking, as well; as here Gal. 1.12. But then in the following Words; he goes on yet further, and makes this very Epiflle the highefl: Infl'ance ofthis his Knowledge and Revelation; As I wrote afore,a little afore (namely in the tWo firil Chapters hereof,efpecially this firll) whereby in the reading you may uriderfl:and 'ufoly&..j<. "'J Knowledge in the Myftery ofChrifl; that is, your felves, not by hear-fay only, !viAl)«• A as
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